'Superstar' six-year-old from Lee-on-the-Solent walks over 13 miles raising £1000 for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance

A LEE-ON-THE-SOLENT infant school pupil has walked over 13 miles for a charity which she looks up too raising more than £1,000.
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On May 27, six-year-old Alanna walked from Lee-on-the-Solent to Netley Abbey: a staggering 13.1 miles to raise money for a charity close to her heart, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

Alanna’s mum Mia said: ‘She is absolutely obsessed with helicopters and loves the air ambulance, when it lands she’s always on flight tracker. She got talking with one of the pilots on one occasion when they landed, he was brilliant with her.

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‘We explained what they do and how they save people’s lives and she wanted to be involved and help save someone’s life,’ she added.

Six-year-old Alanna walked over 13 miles to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.Six-year-old Alanna walked over 13 miles to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
Six-year-old Alanna walked over 13 miles to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

Last June Alanna, who attends Lee-on-the-Solent Infant School, held a jumble sale on her front lawn and raised £253 for the charity with which she’s so fascinated.

Mia added: ‘She said her target was to beat that this year, she’s beaten it alright. She was still full of energy by the end!

‘Not many six-year-olds raise over £1,000.’

Six-year-old Alanna walked over 13 miles to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.Six-year-old Alanna walked over 13 miles to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.
Six-year-old Alanna walked over 13 miles to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance.

This year Alanna went a step further, walking a half marathon with her mum Mia and raising a total of £1,021.24 for the air ambulance, £863 through her Just Giving page and an extra £158.24 in offline donations.

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When Alanna had decided she wanted to carry out a ‘big walk’ for the charity, nothing was getting in her way.

‘I don’t know if she really understood the distance at the time, but she was happy she did it,’ said Mia.

Alanna received support throughout her mission, walking to a stream of cheers, car horns and applause from the public and even a personalised letter from the pilot congratulating her on her accomplishment.

She was pleased to be able to deliver her donations to the air ambulance herself.

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On its website, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance said: ‘When our pilot lands and our doctors and paramedics rush off to the scene, many of you will come and say hi to us and chat to the duty pilot.

‘On more than one occasion, one of those people will be six-year-old Alanna. She is one of Pilot Captain Dave’s biggest fans. Thank you, Alanna. You’re a superstar.’

To support Alanna’s fundraiser visit justgiving.com/fundraising/alannahalfmarathon.

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